"Talking to Kobe this summer, I didn't know, but I kind of knew that he was going to be more on the side of retiring this year," Johnson said Sunday. "But I didn't know he would come out and say it like the way he did.

"As a guy who's a big brother of mine and a mentor of mine, it sucks. I just hope he stays healthy the rest of the season and finishes it strong. Just be the Kobe we all know and love."

Bryant made his announcement in the form of a letter on the website The Players' Tribune, which is geared to athletes.

"I can't love you obsessively for much longer," Bryant wrote of basketball. "This season is all I have left to give. My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind, but my body knows it's time to say good-bye."

Bryant, 37, has set a record with his 20 seasons with one franchise. It's safe to say, with the Lakers' struggles, he will end his career with five NBA titles.

Detroit fans will remember the Pistons denying him a title in 2004, when they beat the Lakers in the NBA Finals in five games.

But he did get a title against Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy in 2009, when Van Gundy coached the Magic.

"Yeah, he played great," Van Gundy said to laughter.

"You knew it was coming at some point fairly soon," Van Gundy said. "He's one of the great ones, and he's moving on. He's been an important guy in our game. He's had a lot of success individually, he's had great team success, and he's a guy who's put a lot of people in the arena and a lot of eyes watching on TV."